He does not know how much time passed in the divine city. Day seemed to blend seamlessly into night, as if the sky fortress lingered in a time in between. The care of him was as exceptional as the first day, the food was delicious, but that Elise did not visit him again.
He asked the little attendants where she was.
"Super busy. Our Lady is working on a project! It's veery important!"
But the children did not seem to know any other details. Only that it was an engineering project and that it was important so she did not want to see anyone.
He asked if he was allowed anything to read.
"Yes! Lady Elise's collection only. Come, come."
They showed him to a small wing of books.
This System she had integrated into his body didn't have much information in it to start. But whatever he newly learned did get recorded immediately. It didn't seem that useful, aside from helping him revisit and track things, but Elise had said it would be key to how to play later.
"Maybe new functions will show." He murmured. The games on earth had usually things like level lock or some other method of access to the rest of the user interface. One thing was for certain: launch day was sure to clarify many things.
These books, however, were strange. He could only access the information retroactively by his System: he found recalling what he read in real time was impossible. It was like the words faded from his mind the moment he flipped a page.
"An enchantment of some sort?"
But the golden goddess had allowed him to access her own private collection. There are things here she wanted him to know.
His fingers lingered on the book that had been left on the table.
"Are you even supposed to let me know about the energy grid?"
…
He spent his days learning all that he could.
He does not know how much time passed until one day, one of the attendants that came to his room said it was time at last for his Descent.
Descent, as it turned out, was a compasslike teleporter. The children gave him several items.
"This is a spatial bag. Lady Elise finished it in time for you. Just say "inventory" - why don't you try?"
He held out his hand.
"Inventory."
Current items: 0/100
They next gave him supplies. He stored the clothes, food, and potions.
Current items: 20/100
"Say "End" to close it." Said the smiling child by his side.
"End."
He turned to the child. "Please say thank you to her for me."
"She'll be happy." Chirped the girl. "You're the first Champion she picked in forever."
…
The Descent was like wading through water.
Kal was sent to an inn in a remote town at the edge of the southern forest. The town was called Elgris - or so the System that had been downloaded to his body informed him.
So this was Lower Mortise. The System indicated. But the name of this world is known to this realm's people as Ys'ile.
He looked above at the sky.
Even from here he thought a glimpse of the distant shadow of the city in the sky's towers could be visible.
"Do your best, Lord Ninth." The divine attendants had said.
But the books in Elise's reading room had only mentioned Eight generators.
Eight Champions. From what Elise had said upon their first meeting, he supposed she had something to do with legends of Holy Grail Wars and granting a wish in exchange for a grand ritual.
As he had in the sky city, he began by learning what he could. But here in the lower realm, he could not find out any more information about upper Mortise. The people seemed to avert from any mention of Superior Mortise at all as if it was taboo.
But what troubled him wasn't the process of orienting himself to the mission at hand. Based on the System's internal clock, there were a few days left before the "launch" of the Game and speaking to the locals regarding basic information was simple enough a matter to eventually bear some leads.
Like Elgris being a border town in the western principality of Reines.
The duchy that ran the principality. Some other names too. Perhaps these names could one day become relevant.
Even some clues that worship in the principality is of a certain golden goddess.
Elysea.
Had he imagined it that day?
The brief trouble in God - in Elise's eyes at that time - when she downloaded to him the System? She had claimed she was but only an Architect. But she did live in a place with many others that resembled her.
Was she even supposed to show him all she had?
Would she be punished?
But for now all he could do was learn as much as possible from the starting area.
That evening, as he readied to go to sleep, the system screen appeared before him abruptly without his summoning. Kal reeled back in surprise as a small hologram of Elise projected.
She did not look happy.
Why haven't you moved out of the starting area already?
"Huh?"
What do you mean "huh?" The other Architects' Champions - their beta testers - are almost at their respective capitals while you languish here. Are you even taking this seriously?
"We weren't supposed to wait for launch day??"
What do you think preaccess was for? Launch day's the old coots of the Council Board's event. They make some speeches, send some notices. Did you think it was really something special?
He watched as the hologram held fingers to her temple as if his responses had given her a headache.
But it is important for a different reason.
"More functions will be released in the user interface, right?"
That's right. And the Shop. The main way to earn currency is from Mortise's viewers.
"This is all streamed." He realized.
Yes. Mortise is the cradle of myths. You will have to create a myth that would win over my people and they will donate to you. The post launch Greeting program proposal will be most important: that's your initial pitch. Do make sure to look your best.
Kal laughed.
"A story that can win over a race of gods? What haven't you all seen?"
Get going to the Capital first. Commanded Elise. And think about how you are going to get Sponsors.
…
It was on the road to the Principality's capital, the Rozbern Fortress, that he finally asked.
"Elise? There doesn't seem to be much information about Mortise at all."
Of course. To the people of the lower realm, we would be something like gods or immortal fairies would be to your world.
"But what really is Mortise?"
A place that creates.
"What really are Architects then?"
As in the name. A race that creates.
"That doesn't say much. Creation should have a purpose. What are you and your people creating for?"
He remembered the glimpse of the sky city. He may not have been allowed to wander outside, but Elise had purposefully ensured that first day on the terrace he saw with his own eyes.
"There weren't many adults." Something was wrong about Mortise's population breakdown.
She hummed.
How familiar are you with eastern legends of true humans?
"Somewhat familiar. My maternal family is Chinese."
Maybe it'll be more accurate to think of me and my people as fairies.
"What happened to the adults?"
We always were a slow aging race. But, some of the children entirely stopped growing. To our people, that's practically a plague.
"You think something was done to your people."
I created the schematic for Mortise's energy grid long ago, after this strange illness already afflicted some of my people. Your world was my personal project while I was still an Apprentice. Aside the purpose of perpetuating our civilization by creating, I also do not know that answer either of what purpose my people serve.
"So my world was made to be ... fuel? But if you made earth - among other worlds - and other Architects also made other worlds after your model for Mortise. Who made you … and your people, then?"
He paused seeing her fall quiet. So this is why she insisted she was not a god.
"You're trying to find that out. You still want to know. You think Mortise powers something - something else, too. Maybe even running out of time for something? That's why you broke rules. You collaborated with earth ... gave earth technology to test something."
Had she wanted to see if Earth could be capable of producing Architects too?
She sighed.
There is nothing special about you. But if we break enough rules, you will inevitably become "special". To you I was "the eyes from the sky". Perhaps by creating an anomaly we can draw the interest of the "eyes" over my people.
"That's why you came out of retirement promoting an additional Champion."
Yes. I see you have an idea now of what we are going to do.
"I don't know. But, at least for the matter of Sponsors, I think I can get interest."
What are you thinking?
"Close enough to the truth. I am going to tell them if I win, I intend to become an Architect."